Former MERC Co+op in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, finally has new operator

KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.

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The former MERC Co+op grocery store in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, has a new operator.

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas' full commission voted 8-0 July 2 to approve a resolution giving the mayor authority to enter an agreement with Anthony Estrada as an operator.

The two entities signed the agreement on Tuesday, July 14.

The store has been a hot topic of discussion for several months after MERC leadership announced in December 2025 the store was closing.

Downtown KCK is considered a food desert for a full-service grocery store.

KSHB 41's Rachel Henderson spoke with the operator — Estrada, of Santa Fe Grocers LLC — in March after he submitted a letter of intent to the Unified Government to operate the store.

Since then, he and UG leaders have worked to establish a management agreement.

This agreement will allow Estrada to begin work on the store, with hopes to open this year.

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